Expanding Your Business Horizons: The Journey of Creating a Connected Line of Business

As I sit in my office, surrounded by the familiar hum of vacuum cleaners and the busy sounds of our team preparing for another day of service, I can't help but feel excited about the new venture we're about to launch. More than five years ago, when I founded Clean Club Calgary, I never imagined I'd be writing about expanding into a new line of business. Yet here I am, not just running a successful cleaning company, but also on the brink of venturing into the world of professional cleaner training.?

The Seed of an Idea?

The idea for our upcoming training center didn't come from a sudden eureka moment. Instead, it's grown gradually from a pattern we've noticed in our day-to-day operations and our core values as a company.?

From the very beginning of Clean Club Calgary, we've always been committed to providing our team with all the tools they need to succeed. We firmly believe that the biggest tool we can provide is comprehensive, high-quality training. This commitment to our team's success has been a driving force behind our decision to create a dedicated training center.?

We've also noticed a recurring theme in conversations with our clients. They often express how much they appreciate the professionalism and skill of our cleaning staff, particularly highlighting the role of our supervisors in maintaining high standards. This feedback has further validated our focus on comprehensive training.?

With our participation in the Growth Catalyst Program what really put the fire under the training center idea.? It is amazing when you shed all your vulnerabilities and put an idea in front of others how it develops more and more.???

Taking the Leap?

The decision to formally develop a training center hasn't been made lightly. We've had several concerns:?

• Will we have enough time and resources to dedicate to both businesses??

• Will training potential competitors impact our primary cleaning business??

• How will we structure a comprehensive training program??

These questions have required careful consideration. But the potential to make a broader impact in our industry and to create a new revenue stream is too compelling to ignore. So, with a mix of excitement and trepidation, we've decided to take the leap.?

Building the Training Center?

As we prepare to launch our training center, we're realizing that transitioning from a cleaning company to also being a training provider is not as straightforward as we initially imagined. While we have a wealth of practical knowledge about cleaning techniques, customer service, and operational efficiency, we're quickly realizing that being able to do something yourself doesn't automatically translate to being able to teach it effectively.?

We're starting by leveraging our existing strengths. Our supervisors and trainers, who play a crucial role in maintaining our high standards, will become the cornerstone of our training program. We're also heavily involving our project coordinator, whose expertise in managing workflows and client relationships is proving invaluable in developing a comprehensive curriculum.?

Anticipating the Challenges?

We're aware that expanding into a new line of business won't be without its challenges. We anticipate that time management will quickly become a crucial skill. Balancing the day-to-day operations of our cleaning company with the demands of running a training center will require careful planning and, likely, long hours.?

We'll also need to navigate the potential conflict of interest in training individuals or companies that could be seen as competitors to Clean Club Calgary. This will require a mindset shift – viewing the success of our trainees not as a threat, but as a contribution to raising the standards of our industry as a whole.?

The Potential Benefits?

Despite the anticipated challenges, we're excited about the potential rewards of expanding into this connected line of business. Here are just a few benefits we're looking forward to:?

• Improved Quality Control: Developing our training program is forcing us to codify our best practices, which in turn should help us improve quality control within our primary business.?

• Talent Pipeline: We hope the training center will become an excellent source of well-trained staff for our own cleaning operations.?

• Industry Recognition: As we become known for our training programs, we anticipate our reputation in the industry will grow, potentially leading to more business opportunities for our cleaning services.?

• Diversified Income: From a business perspective, having two connected but distinct income streams should provide financial stability and open up new opportunities for growth.?

• Community Impact: We're excited about the potential to provide valuable skills and employment opportunities to our local community.?

In the next article, we'll explore the lessons we've learned so far and our vision for the road ahead.?